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| Watch out Angola – repression only generates more dissent | Watch out Angola – repression only generates more dissent |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Angola is about to mark the 40th anniversary of its independence, but residents are in no mood to celebrate. The MPLA, the party that has governed for more than three decades, is crushing any and all dissent in a political climate that has become increasingly paranoid. | Angola is about to mark the 40th anniversary of its independence, but residents are in no mood to celebrate. The MPLA, the party that has governed for more than three decades, is crushing any and all dissent in a political climate that has become increasingly paranoid. |
| In late June, 13 young men gathered to read Gene Sharp’s From Dictatorship to Democracy, a book about non-violent protest. But before they finished it, the police barged in and arrested them. Two days later, two more young men were detained. | In late June, 13 young men gathered to read Gene Sharp’s From Dictatorship to Democracy, a book about non-violent protest. But before they finished it, the police barged in and arrested them. Two days later, two more young men were detained. |
| Related: Reading the revolution: the book club that terrified the Angolan regime | Related: Reading the revolution: the book club that terrified the Angolan regime |
| They have now been held for 115 days, well past the legal limit, indicted for “preparing acts pursuant to a coup d’etat”, because of the book’s association with the Arab Spring. | |
| At the 90-day mark, eight of them embarked on a hunger strike. One of them, Luaty Beirão, persists. Now in his third week, his health is significantly compromised. The consequences of this could be tragic not just for this young man, his family and friends, but for Angola’s political future. | At the 90-day mark, eight of them embarked on a hunger strike. One of them, Luaty Beirão, persists. Now in his third week, his health is significantly compromised. The consequences of this could be tragic not just for this young man, his family and friends, but for Angola’s political future. |
| For the government, the case provides much needed distraction from an economy in crisis. Once ascending on an oil boom after the civil war ended in 2002, it is now contracting as the global price of oil drops. Rumours swirl around president Jose Eduardo dos Santos’s May trip to China, suggesting he gave away the country’s southernmost province to Chinese state owned corporations in exchange for more loans. Last week, it emerged that the Angolan economy is too weak for officials to issue a $2bn Eurobond. | For the government, the case provides much needed distraction from an economy in crisis. Once ascending on an oil boom after the civil war ended in 2002, it is now contracting as the global price of oil drops. Rumours swirl around president Jose Eduardo dos Santos’s May trip to China, suggesting he gave away the country’s southernmost province to Chinese state owned corporations in exchange for more loans. Last week, it emerged that the Angolan economy is too weak for officials to issue a $2bn Eurobond. |
| To stay in power, the regime has mostly resorted to force despite peace accords signed with former enemy Unita in 2002 and victory at the polls in 2008 and 2012. | To stay in power, the regime has mostly resorted to force despite peace accords signed with former enemy Unita in 2002 and victory at the polls in 2008 and 2012. |
| In the last five years, Angolans have become used to violence and killing perpetrated by government forces. In 2010, police and state security officers allegedly killed two military veterans, Alves Kamulingue and Isaís Cassule, who organised a protest against arrears in pension payments. Manuel Hilberto Ganga, an opposition party member who hung up signs protesting the murder of those men, was later allegedly shot in the back by Dos Santos’s Presidential Guard. | In the last five years, Angolans have become used to violence and killing perpetrated by government forces. In 2010, police and state security officers allegedly killed two military veterans, Alves Kamulingue and Isaís Cassule, who organised a protest against arrears in pension payments. Manuel Hilberto Ganga, an opposition party member who hung up signs protesting the murder of those men, was later allegedly shot in the back by Dos Santos’s Presidential Guard. |
| Best known is the case against journalist Rafael Marques de Morais for criminal libel (he received a suspended prison sentence in May) for his book Angola’s Blood Diamonds, about corruption in the diamond mining industry by a trio of generals close to the Angolan presidency. | Best known is the case against journalist Rafael Marques de Morais for criminal libel (he received a suspended prison sentence in May) for his book Angola’s Blood Diamonds, about corruption in the diamond mining industry by a trio of generals close to the Angolan presidency. |
| Repression generates more dissent. The prisoners ought to be able to await trial in their homes, as the law permits | Repression generates more dissent. The prisoners ought to be able to await trial in their homes, as the law permits |
| Most recently, heavily armed police raided a religious sect at Mount Sumi that rejected state initiatives such as vaccination campaigns, the national census and public schooling. Aiming to arrest the group’s leader, José Julino Kalupeteka, police met resistance from sect members. Many months later it is still unclear what happened, but several credible sources allege a massacre. | Most recently, heavily armed police raided a religious sect at Mount Sumi that rejected state initiatives such as vaccination campaigns, the national census and public schooling. Aiming to arrest the group’s leader, José Julino Kalupeteka, police met resistance from sect members. Many months later it is still unclear what happened, but several credible sources allege a massacre. |
| Liberdade Já! | Liberdade Já! |
| But it is the arrest of the book club that is galvanising the latest protests against the regime. When police, acting on information from a state security officer who had infiltrated the group of activists, arrested the 15 young men and accused them of crimes against public order and state security, it unleashed a public outcry. | But it is the arrest of the book club that is galvanising the latest protests against the regime. When police, acting on information from a state security officer who had infiltrated the group of activists, arrested the 15 young men and accused them of crimes against public order and state security, it unleashed a public outcry. |
| Demonstrations were organised, and coordinated protests were held in Lisbon, Berlin and Brussels. Luanda protestors met arrests, kidnapping, violence and an MPLA counter-protest in the same square. The mothers, sisters and wives of the activists organised another demonstration on 8 August, the president’s birthday, appealing to him as a father. But when they went to exercise their constitutional right, they were beaten and some were bitten by police dogs. | Demonstrations were organised, and coordinated protests were held in Lisbon, Berlin and Brussels. Luanda protestors met arrests, kidnapping, violence and an MPLA counter-protest in the same square. The mothers, sisters and wives of the activists organised another demonstration on 8 August, the president’s birthday, appealing to him as a father. But when they went to exercise their constitutional right, they were beaten and some were bitten by police dogs. |
| Related: Prison and intimidation: the price of being a journalist in Angola | Related: Prison and intimidation: the price of being a journalist in Angola |
| Angolans of many different political stripes have expressed their discontent online. A group of family and friends of the prisoners set up a video campaign and a petition, Liberdade Já (Freedom Now!), that has mobilised an international line-up of authors, artists, scholars and activists in support of the cause. Sadly, the Angolan government responds with silence. | Angolans of many different political stripes have expressed their discontent online. A group of family and friends of the prisoners set up a video campaign and a petition, Liberdade Já (Freedom Now!), that has mobilised an international line-up of authors, artists, scholars and activists in support of the cause. Sadly, the Angolan government responds with silence. |
| Some have taken to the streets. The past days have witnessed four consecutive nights of vigils for Beirão, and the other prisoners – Marcos Mavunga, a civil society activist recently sentenced to a six-year prison term in a trial Amnesty International called a “travesty of justice”, and two young women also named in the state’s case against the book group. | Some have taken to the streets. The past days have witnessed four consecutive nights of vigils for Beirão, and the other prisoners – Marcos Mavunga, a civil society activist recently sentenced to a six-year prison term in a trial Amnesty International called a “travesty of justice”, and two young women also named in the state’s case against the book group. |
| The fourth vigil dispersed peacefully when it was surrounded by police with water canons and canine units, despite sitting peacefully and praying silently in front of a church. | The fourth vigil dispersed peacefully when it was surrounded by police with water canons and canine units, despite sitting peacefully and praying silently in front of a church. |
| Collectively, the jailed men, Mavunga and the indicted women have become known as the 15+1+2. One sign at the vigil announced “15+1+2=24.3 million” (Angola’s total population). | Collectively, the jailed men, Mavunga and the indicted women have become known as the 15+1+2. One sign at the vigil announced “15+1+2=24.3 million” (Angola’s total population). |
| Repression generates more dissent. The prisoners ought to be able to await trial in their homes, as the law permits. In so doing, the state would save a life, forgo a martyr, and step closer to dialogue. | Repression generates more dissent. The prisoners ought to be able to await trial in their homes, as the law permits. In so doing, the state would save a life, forgo a martyr, and step closer to dialogue. |